Reversible meter hanger support



p 1936- I G. R. STURTEVANT 2,053,119

REVERSIBLE METER HANGER SUPPORT Filed Sept 18, 1934 Ihventor: George FQSturtevanc,

His Attorney.

Patented Sept. 1, 1936 REVERSIBLE METER moan surroa'r George R. Sturtevant, Lynn, Mam, minor to General Electric Company, a'corporation of New York Application September 18, 1934, Serial No. 744,478

5 Claims.

My invention relates to arrangements for supporting and mounting meter casings and other apparatus and has for its principal object the provision of a reversible meter hanger which en- 5 ables the meter to be supported either by an external hanging lug or by a blind buttonhole on the back of the base.

Other and further objects and advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds.

My invention will be understood more readily by referring to the accompanying drawing in conncction with the following description and the features of my invention which I believe to be novel and patentable will be pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawing, Fig.- 1 is a view in perspective with a meter casing embodying my invention seen from the rear and shown detached from the wall .or panel on which it may be mounted; Fig. 2 is 2 a fragmentary view partially in section illustrating the arrangement of the apparatus for mounting from a blind buttonhole in the back of the base; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view partially in section illustrating the arrangement for supporting the meter casing from an external hanging lug; and Fig. 4 is an exploded view of the parts of a meter casing embodying my invention.

In the drawing, I have illustrated the application of my invention to the mounting of a device such as a meter casing but it will be understood that my invention is not limited to this specific application.

The meter casing II is adapted to be mounted on a wall or panel I 2 in which the hanger bolt or screw I3 has been secured. To permit supporting the meter casing II from either an external hanging lug or a blind buttonhole, a reversible hanger support I4 is provided having a simple buttonhole slot I5 in a segment atone end of the her .ger and a double-ended slot IS in a segment at thc other end of the hanger, the slot I6 having two narrowed portions I1 and Ill. The hanger-support I4 is attached to the back wall or base of the casing II by means of ascrew I9 engaging a threaded hole 20 in the base of the meter casing and passing through a smooth hole 2I in the meter hanger I4. The distances between the hole 2I in the hanger I4 and the ends of the hanger I4 and the distance from the top edge 22 to the threaded hole 20 in the meter casing are such that, when the reversible hanger I4 is rotated around the screw I9 to the position with the single buttonhole slot I5 uppermost, the upper end of the hanger I4 is flush with the upper edge 22 of the meter casing I I, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. However, when the reversible hanger I4 is rotated 180 degrees around the screw I9, the hanger I4 projccts upward from the top edge 22 of the meter casing II to form an external hanging lug as I shown in Fig. 3 and in the dotted lines of Fig. 1.

Preferably, a depression or a pair of depressions 23 and 24 are provided in the back wall of the meter casing II to correspond to the positions of the head of the hanger bolt I3 when resting in either of the slots I5 or I6. With the hanger I 4 in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the slots I5 and I6 provide blind buttonholes in the back of the meter casing I I which may be slipped over the head of the hanger bolt I3 to provide a secure support for the meter casing II. If the slot I6 is used, obviously, the point of support of the meter casing will be lower and the hanger bolt I3 may be in a position I3" to support the meter casing II at the same height as when the hanger bolt I3 as shown in full lines is used with the slot I5. Likewise with bolt I3 in the full line position the meter may be supported in a higher position when slot I6 is used. The narrowed portions 25 and I! of the slots I5 and I5 are of slightly greater width than the shank 26 of the hanger bolt I3 but are v25 less in width than the diameter of the head of the hanger bolt I3 so that the larger portions of the slots I5 or I 6 may he slipped over the head of the hanger bolt I3 and the narrow portions may then be dropped down on the shank 26 of the 30 hanger bolt I3 to prevent the meter casing I I from sliding off the hanger bolt I3. For convenience, I have referred to this type of slot having a narrowed end portion as a buttonhole slot.

In order to provide an external hanging lug, the hanger I4 is rotated to the position shown in Fig. 3 and the narrow portion I8 of the slot iii in the hanger I4 rests on the hanger bolt I3 to provide a secure support for the meter casing II. With the hanger bolt in the position I3 shown in Fig. 1, the meter casing is mounted at the same height on wall I2 as in the previous examples.

Preferably, the reversible hanger I4 is offset or transversely channeled at 26 to permit the head 21 of the screw I9 to come flush with or below the outer surface of the hanger I4. To guard against loss of the screw IS in the hanger I4, the inner end 21 of the screw I9 may be peened over or expanded to a diameter greater than that of the threaded hole 20. It will be understood that a bridge or a boss 28 will be provided in or between the depressions 23 and 24 on the back of the meter casing II against which the ofiset portion 26 of the hanger I4 may rest when the ends of the hanger I4 are flush with the back surface of the meter casing ll. loosened when it is desired to rotate the hanger ll from one position to the other. If desired, studs 29 and 30 may be provided on the back surface of the meter casing I l to maintain the hanger M in either of its two supporting positions. It will be'understood that other suitable studs or bosses, such as the portions 3| and 32 are provided on the back surface of the meter casing II to cause the meter casing II to rest vertically against the wall l2 and to space the back surface of the meter casing ll slightly from the wall I 2 to prevent accumulation of moisture.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have described the principle of operation of my invention together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof but I desire to haveit understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative and that the invention may be carried out by other means.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In combination with a meter casing, a reversible hanger support therefor in the form of a strip, means for attaching said hanger at a point unsymmetrical with respect to the ends thereof to the back wall of said casing, said un-' symmetrical point defining a division of said strip into a longer segment and a shorter segment, said hanger support having a simple buttonhole slot in the shorter segment thereof and in the other segment thereof a double-ended buttonhole slot having narrowed portions extending toward the opposite ends of said hanger support, said hanger support being rotatably mounted at such a position on said casing as to permit the end of said hanger adjacent the longer segment to extend from the casing as an external hanging lug when rotated to the upward position and to prevent the other end of said hanger support from projecting beyond the casing when said latter end is rotated to the upward position, thereby forming only blind buttonhole slots for mounting the easing.

2. In combination, a meter casing having an elongated depression therein extending vertically, a bridge across said depression, and a reversible hanger support for said casing comprising a strip adapted to be rotatably mounted on the bridge across said depression and comprising a longer and a shorter segment, one segment having a The screw I9 is, of course,

buttonhole slot therein and the other segment having a double-ended buttonhole slot therein, the arrangement being such that when the longer segment of said hanger support is in the downward position, buttonhole slots cooperating with the upper and lower portions of the cavity of said casing are provided above and below the point of attachment of said hanger to said casing but said hanger remains within the outline of the rear wall of said casing and when said hanger is rotated 180 degrees around its point of attachment itforms an upwardly'- projecting. lug with a buttonhole slot therein.

3. In combination with a meter casing, a reversible hanger support therefor comprising a strip having buttonhole slots therein and rotatably mounted at a point unsymmetrical with respect to the ends thereof at such a position on the back of said casing that with the end of the strip uppermost which is more remote from its mounting point, the end of the strip projects and forms an external hanging lug for said casing and with the other end uppermost no part of the hanger projects beyond the casing but a blind buttonhole slot is provided at the back of the casing.

4. In combination with a meter casing, a reversible hanger support therefor comprising a strip having a slot therein with narrowed end portions extending toward the ends of said hanger and rotatably mounted at a point between said slot and one end of said hanger. at such a position on the back of said casing that with the slot uppermost the hanger forms an external hanging lug and with the slot lowermost it forms a blind buttonhole slot at the back of the casing and no part of the hanger projects beyond the casing.

5. In combination with a meter casing, a reversible hanger support therefor comprising a strip having an opening therein adapted to co.- operate with a hanger bolt for mounting a meter casing and rotatably mounted at a point unsymmetrical with respect to the ends of said hanger at such a position on the back of said casing that with the end of the strip uppermost which is more remote from its mounting point,-the end of the strip projects and forms an external hanging lug for said meter casing and with the other end uppermost no part of the hanger projects beyond the casing but a blind mounting slot is provided at the back of the casing.

GEORGE R. STURTEVANT; 

